


Deception

by Siri_Kenobi12



Series: Tales of Siri Tachi in the Clone Wars [1]
Category: Star Wars Legends: Secrets of the Jedi - Jude Watson, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Anakin Skywalker Is A Mess, Anakin Skywalker Needs a Hug, Canonical Character Death, Clone Wars, Deception, Episode: s04e15 Deception, F/M, Fake Character Death, Fluff and Angst, Grief/Mourning, Jedi, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, Memories of first time, Obi as Rako Hardeen, Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug, Obi-Wan is a ladies man, Obitine, Post-Rako Hardeen Arc (Star Wars: Clone Wars), Rako Hardeen Arc (Star Wars: Clone Wars), References to Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008), Satine needs a hug, Siri Tachi in Clone Wars, Siri knows about Satine, Siri needs a drink, Siri wants to punch the Jedi Council, SiriWan (kinda), Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) Spoilers, Undercover Missions, Wakes & Funerals, first time posting, unsure about tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:55:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23534176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siri_Kenobi12/pseuds/Siri_Kenobi12
Summary: Back from an undercover mission to infiltrate the Black Sun crime syndicate Siri Tachi learns of Master Obi-Wan Kenobi's death at the hand of assassin Rako Hardeen – but something doesn't feel right. (set during The Clone Wars animated series episode 4.15 entitled Deception).
Relationships: Adi Gallia & Siri Tachi, Anakin Skywalker & Siri Tachi, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi/Siri Tachi
Series: Tales of Siri Tachi in the Clone Wars [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1810576
Comments: 25
Kudos: 72





	1. Home Again

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: I know that Siri Tachi isn’t canon anymore, but I thought it would be fun to fit her into some of the stories in the animated series Star Wars, the Clone Wars. I do believe in the actual legends timeline by this point in the Clone Wars Siri was technically dead, but since she is no longer canon I decided who cares! 
> 
> I haven’t written fanfiction in over 10 years so I’m a little rusty (and learning all the new sites, tags and tricks) so please keep that in mind and if I forget something please let me know. Kudos and comments are incredibly helpful!! 
> 
> **This first chapter is a little shorter, just trying to get my sea legs again**
> 
> This is technically a sequel to Memoirs of Kadavo, though I wrote this one first. It's not required to have read that one to understand what's going on in this story, but I do reference a couple of things from that story.   
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/25640116/chapters/62243821

Narrator: A terrorist threat! Moralo Eval, mastermind of a Separatist plot to kidnap Chancellor Palpatine, has been captured by Republic forces. But even with the criminal behind bars, rumors swirl in the underworld of Coruscant that Moralo's plot has already been set in motion... With precious time running out, the Jedi Council hatches their own plot to keep the Chancellor safe.

*Chapter 1*

The pain was excruciating, and the sensation of the shifting of bones within her face was one of the most painful yet oddest sensations Siri Tachi had ever experienced, and sadly this was not the first facial transformation she had sat through and probably wouldn’t be her last. Once the pain subsided she glanced at her reflection in the chrome medical tray beside her, it had been a grueling couple of weeks looking like a Falleen noblewoman in order to infiltrate the crime syndicate group the Black Sun and she was happy to have her true appearance back. Her hair however, would take longer to go back to normal as it had been shaved on the sides up to a small mohawk then the remaining blonde locks had been pulled back into a traditional ponytail of the Falleen, not the weirdest haircut she had ever been forced to wear while undercover, but it was up there. 

As she stood up from the exam table she noticed the medical droids hurrying to prepare the facial transformation system for another patient, this surprised her since the other Jedi Sentinels who were typically assigned to go so deep undercover that it required facial transformations were already out in the field. She wondered who it was being prepped for, and secretly hoped it wasn’t her.  
As she walked down the halls of the Jedi Temple, she noticed that it was eerily quiet, Siri took note on how few Jedi were roaming the halls, most were occupied by the war, not returning home for months at a time. This meant that keeping traditions and social interactions between the Force users were at an all-time low. In fact, it had been a couple of months since she had spent more than a few hours in the presence of another Jedi.

Siri wasn’t typically called to the front lines therefore unlike most of her peers she did not have the opportunities for battlefield comradery, instead she fought the war by crossing enemy lines alone and bringing important intel to the war effort. Her latest was to infiltrate the Black Sun to discover if the crime family was aligning themselves with the Separatist cause or if they were truly neutral to the war.  
She inhaled deeply as she walked down the familiar halls, enjoying the sights and smells of the temple, she also relished the comfort of the soft fabric of her Jedi tunic, embracing the fact that she could once again dress for comfort and mobility rather than form fitting dresses to impress sleazy crime lords. She couldn’t wait to get back to her quarters so she could remove her restrictive boots, but otherwise she felt a sense of calm wash over her while putting on her Jedi attire. She allowed herself to live in the moment, she was home and she wasn’t sure for how long so she would enjoy it while it lasted. 

As she rounded the corner towards the central turbo lift which would take her up to the High Council Chamber she bumped literally into an old friend. He reached out to steady her, placing two hands on her shoulders. 

“We really have to stop meeting like this my dear.” A uniquely accented voice broke the silence, complete with its signature playful tone. “People may start to talk.”

Siri, who had caught her balance immediately, played along and allowed him to steady her. “And we wouldn’t want that.” She teased him back, trailing a finger over the armor protecting his forearms.  
“Hey you,” Obi-Wan Kenobi smiled and bowed his head to her, letting her back up to her feet.

She smiled at him warmly and returned their special greeting. “Hey you.” 

Siri stopped for a moment, unsure what to say. The last time she had seen him he was floating in a bacta tank. They had talked since that terrible business on Kadavo several times over comlinks, but it just wasn't the same as being in his presence. She suddenly felt relief seeing him up and about and looking more like his old self. "You seem to be doing much better than the last time I saw you." 

"Well, that's not really a high bar to jump though is it?" He shrugged. 

"No, I suppose not." She rolled her eyes. "Still, it's nice to see you looking more like yourself."

"Speaking of which," he looked her up and down. “I simply love what you’ve done with your hair.” 

Siri fended laughter and flipped her ponytail at him. “Mark my words by this time next year all the ladies in the Senate will be wearing their hair this way.”  
He folded his arms across his chest. “Oh, I have no doubt, you have always been quite the trend setter.” 

With that she winked and moved towards the turbo lift. “I have to give my mission report to the Council,” she turned and looked back at him. “Aren’t you on the Council now, or was that just a joke they played on all of us?” 

He began to stroke his beard as he looked at her. “Oh no I’m afraid I am indeed on the Council, which means the jokes on me.” He shifted his weight and placed his hands behind his back, Siri could sense he was nervous about something. “Sadly, I won’t be there for your briefing, I have to find Anakin and his Apprentice straight away.” He avoided her gaze. “For an emergency session with the Council.” 

“It's still unsettling to think that you have a Grand-Padawan now.” She teased, hoping to help settle his nerves. 

Obi-wan smiled, “yes, when ever did we get so old?” 

She nodded, noticing the wrinkles around his eyes that now appeared when he smiled, and the white hair growing at his temples. “Well, you don’t look a day over your knighting ceremony.”  
Obi-Wan chuckled. “I do hope you’re a better liar than that if we have you working undercover Master Tachi.” 

She noticed an odd faraway look in his eyes for just the briefest of moments, she instinctively placed a hand on his arm. “Obi-Wan, you wanna talk about it?”

It irked him that after all these years and distance she could still read him like a book. He met her gaze and where there was once concern, she now saw nothing but resolve. “You mustn’t keep the Council waiting, I hear they are an unreasonable bunch.” 

She nodded and entered the turbo lift. “Yes, especially Master Kenobi, he really is the worst.” 

As the doors closed, she could hear her friend chuckling. 

****  
“You don’t believe the Black Sun has aligned themselves with the Separatists?” Plo Koon asked, his voice raspy through his respirator. 

“Not that I was able to detect Master, they truly do seem to be remaining neutral.” Siri confirmed as she stood in the center of the Jedi Council chamber. “I believe their only interest in the Clone War is the fact that they have more freedom now than ever before. They know our focus is on the battle and that we’re stretched thin, so they are definitely using that to their advantage.” 

“Do you see them as an immediate threat Master Tachi?” Mace Windu asked bluntly, leaning back in his chair. 

Siri glanced around the room, it didn’t seem to matter how old she was, she always felt like an inexperienced youngling when addressing the Council. “Not to our efforts in the war per say, but if we continue to leave the crime families unchecked it could be impossible to reign them in once we aren’t so distracted, their power and reach is growing rapidly. We are just lucky they spend most of their time fighting amongst themselves.” 

“A point Master Tachi has,” Yoda chimed in “perhaps we should…”

The diminutive Jedi Master was cut off by the frantic beeping on the emergency com channel. The Masters all looked at one another as the holographic image of Ahsoka Tano appeared before them. Siri noticed the tears brimming in the Padawan’s eyes. 

“Little ‘Soka, is everything alright?” Plo Koon asked.

“Masters, I am on my way back to the temple with Master Skywalker…there was a sniper here on Coruscant.” Her voice cracked as she spoke. “Master Kenobi is down; I repeat Master Kenobi is down.” 

Mace looked intently at the apprentice. “We will dispatch a medical team at once to meet you at the temple gates”

Ahsoka shook her head. “That won’t be necessary…Master Obi-Wan is dead.”


	2. The Funeral

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Siri mourns the suspicious death of her friend and attends his funeral.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kudos!! I truly appreciate it. 
> 
> This chapter has hints of a possible past sexual encounter between Obi-Wan and Siri, nothing graphic though. It also has some good Siri and Anakin bonding. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 2:

A silence hung throughout the Council chambers as the words echoed “Obi-Wan is dead.” 

Siri struggled to keep her emotions in check while standing in the middle of the most powerful Jedi in the entire order. She had known Obi-Wan since she was eleven years old, once rivals then compatriots, then friends until their relationship blossomed into something more and so very nearly crossed a line. There had been a time when Siri thought they might be able to change the rule of attachment by the sole power of their affection for one another, but as she matured, she realized that they had been young and naïve to ever think the Jedi would change just so they could act on their romantic attachment. Luckily, both she and Obi-Wan realized how selfish they were and put their romantic feelings aside, though it came at the cost of the closeness between them for nearly two decades, their friendship had forever been changed because of their decision, it was an unspoken thing that always loomed above them. More recently the two had been able to move past the pain over their failed relationship to discover that love still existed between them, maybe not the physical or romantic love they discovered in their youth, but something more real and pure - a unique and unmistakable bond.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion, and the voices in the chamber became muffled as she struggled with her thoughts. Her eyes focused on each of the Council members, noting how little reaction this news was attracting. She moved her vision to focus on Master Yoda who had always been a guiding source of compassion yet was always the anchor that kept so many younglings in line. For a brief moment they locked eyes, but uncharacteristically the powerful Jedi turned his gaze to the ground, avoiding her. 

After another moment she felt a hand on her shoulder, she turned to see her own former Master Adi Gallia. “Siri, we will have to finish your mission briefing another time, I do hope you understand.”

“Of course, Masters,” Siri bowed and exited the room. She glanced back over her shoulder as the doors began to close, noticing the Council speaking in hushed voices. 

“He understood the risks…” She heard Mace Windu say above the quieted voices as the door finally closed. 

Siri sank down to one of the waiting area benches, her thoughts a jumble trying to understand what had happened. She had just seen Obi-Wan, she couldn’t believe that was the last time she’d ever hear his voice or his ridiculous puns. 

‘Of all the idiotic ways to go, of course you’d be taken out by a sniper…’ she closed her eyes to center her emotions. 

Her thoughts drifted to what felt like a slideshow of Obi-Wan memories, they included the arguments during their younger years, late night discussions about the Force, and endless sparring matches. Inevitably her thoughts focused on a memory long locked away, a fateful mission and the cold floor of a doomed star-ship, beneath a blanket together…his warm breath on her neck, inexperienced hands fumbling in the darkness, the sweet and awkward dance of first loves.

Siri shuttered as she recalled how his hands felt and his lips tasted, it had been so long ago yet so vivid as she seemed to relive the moment now. They had never really talked about it since she made him promise not to ever remind her, and true to his character he had never brought it up again. A part of her always hated him for his devotion, many sleepless nights in her early twenties that were spent wishing he’d break his promise and come to her only to wake up frustrated yet relieved. 

It had taken many years of soul searching as well as time spent away from the Jedi on undercover missions for Siri to come to terms with the betrayal she felt at the Jedi Council and Code for not allowing them to be together, but eventually she realized how to love without attachment which allowed her and Obi-Wan to repair their bond and reformed their friendship. Even as the war raged on and they found themselves taking comfort in physical pleasures together it wasn't the same as the night they had first confessed their feelings for one another, no, this was free of expectations or possessiveness. They had grown to be something that she didn't have a term for, it felt like a partnership within the Force. And because of this she knew she’d be able to mourn his loss and then let him go, he was now one with the Force and he would be at peace. 

Though it still was difficult to process, the shock of the needless and ease of his death made no sense. He had survived so much pain and torture, she had litterally gone deep within the Force to pull him back before he was lost to it's depths. Why did they go to all that trouble to lose him now? She pushed back the feelings of resentment towards the Force's will, she knew she'd have to spend a lot of time meditating on it in hopes of understanding.

But something began to nag Siri in the back of her mind. Her thoughts suddenly turned to a training session when they were younger. They were each required to run a course to mimic a battle scenario like the one on Naboo brought on by the Trade Federation. An exercise to practice saber against blaster fire, it was grueling and intense. Obi-Wan had just started to change saber techniques after his encounter with the Sith and was training himself in Soresu, which was usually ignored by younger Jedi because of its heavy emphasis in defense and therefore often times viewed as weak or boring. But it was as if form III was made for Obi-Wan because he excelled at the exercise, seemingly able to deflect nearly every blaster bolt with ease. Because of her competitive spirit at the time it annoyed Siri to no end that he bested everyone else in the training class, but now the memory of that moment gave Siri pause. 

The Council chamber finally opened, and members began filing out. Siri waited until she saw the familiar face of her Master, she stood up and greeted her mentor. Adi offered a small, sad smile to her former apprentice. 

“Siri, I’m so sorry…I know this must be difficult for you.” The two women began to walk in stride side by side as if no time had passed since their missions together. “I know you and Master Kenobi were very close.”

Siri nodded, shortly after they had decided not to act on their attachment for one another Siri had reluctantly confided in her teacher, knowing she needed guidance to manage her feelings. “Yes, I must admit that I’m struggling with this news Master Gallia.” 

“That is understandable, given your history…”

“It’s not just that,” Siri stopped near one of the large windows overlooking the city planet. “How could this have happened? A sniper took out Obi-Wan Kenobi? After everything that stubborn Gundark has survived, a stray blaster bolt is what did him in? It doesn’t make any sense.” 

“We are not invincible Siri; other Jedi have been killed by far less.” 

She pondered that for a moment and shook her head. “But we trained to sense and avoid blaster fire, even from snipers. And much to my chagrin Obi-Wan was the best in our class…I just don’t see how this could’ve happened.” 

Like Yoda it appeared that Adi was avoiding her former Padawan’s gaze. “Well, Master Kenobi has been on the front lines since the beginning of this war, even those strongest with the Force would grow battle weary and potentially lose focus with all he’s been through.” 

“I suppose so…” Siri’s gaze shifted towards movement at the entrance of the temple, she saw in the distance a slender figure slowly climb the steps, in his arms was the lifeless body of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Siri suppressed a sob and turned back towards her Master. “It just doesn’t make any sense.” 

Adi finally turned to look at her former student. She gently took Siri’s hand. “My dear Padawan, very rarely does war and death make sense.” She began to lead Siri away from the window. “I must go and prepare for Master Kenobi’s funeral rites. Come to the memorial to say goodbye to your friend, some closure will allow you to release your grief into the Force.”

“Yes Master.” Siri bowed as Adi Gallia left to join the rest of the council in the memorial chamber. 

***  
His body lay beneath a white shroud in the center of the room as mourners began to gather to pay their respects. Siri pulled the hood of her Jedi cloak over her head and sat above the scene on one of the benches. She couldn’t bring herself to stand next to the pyre, the last thing she wanted to do was to possibly tarnish his reputation of being a strict adherer to the Jedi Code by having a weeping former lover making a scene. A sob then broke the silence in the room, Siri glanced down at the Duchess of Mandalore who apparently had no such qualms about that. 

Siri studied her, ‘Oh Satine, I am probably the only other woman in the galaxy who understands how you feel at this moment…at least I better be the only other woman in the galaxy who knows how you feel.’ Siri inwardly chuckled to herself. ‘Leave it to the man who has become the standard of morality for Jedi students to have had two loves left in his wake.’ 

She looked again at the Duchess, her heart felt sad for this woman who did not have the same code and discipline to fall back on as Obi-Wan and Siri did, yet in the end she had still managed to let him go. There was a strength to that, and Siri found herself admiring the strong-willed blonde woman.

‘Gods, you had a type, though didn’t you Kenobi?’ She thought to herself.

As they lowered his body into the cremation chamber, she felt the heat of tears escaping from her eyes and silently dripping down her cheeks. A beam of light came up from beneath the ground, signifying his spirit being carried off to become one with the Cosmic Force. Obi-Wan being a hero of the Republic did grant him a larger attendance of politicians than most Jedi memorials, Siri knew this would’ve made him very uncomfortable which did cause her to smile at this realization. 

She also noticed four clone troopers adorn in their dress fatigues saluting his body as it was lowered, ‘Is Cody crying?’ She wondered to herself as she studied their faces. She had learned first hand that Obi-Wan had grown close to his battalion, and that he was one of the first to treat the clones as individuals which in turn cemented a fierce loyalty from his troopers. She had never in her wildest dreams could have imagined that the clumsy boy who always seemed so unsure of himself would grow up to be one of the best strategic military minds in the galaxy. 

‘You were always full of surprises Obi’ she thought to herself. 

Her eyes continued to look at the faces of those who had come to mourn such a tremendous loss, unable to bring herself to actually watch as they laid Obi-Wan to rest, her gaze finally focused on a tall figure standing at the foot of the pyre. The glow casting a long, dark shadow behind him. Siri’s heart broke when she saw the look on his face, in that moment Anakin Skywalker looked like the young boy Siri had met all those years ago – his eyes so full of pain and sorrow, yet he was trying to mask it from everyone around him. Siri knew what Obi-Wan and his protégé had was special, unlike most Master and Apprentices they were closer in age which turned their relationship into a strong friendship once Anakin had reached the trials. They had become brothers and best friends, knowing one another as only a best friend could…she realized in that moment just how much Skywalker had lost with the quick shot from a sniper rifle. 

As the funeral ended and mourners began to leave Siri noticed that Anakin refused to move. Even his close friend Senator Amidala and his apprentice Ahsoka couldn’t convince him to turn away from the now darkened pyre. Once there was no one left except Anakin and Siri she descended the stairs and stood next to the grave. 

They stood in silence for what felt like an eternity, neither knowing what to say. Siri noticed that Anakin was gripping something very tightly in his hand, she recognized the familiar lightsaber hilt. She looked back at Obi-Wan’s grave and sighed, breaking the silence. 

“Well, you really did it this time Kenobi…” Anakin’s eyes snapped towards her as she continued. “If we had known you'd be taken out by a sniper two months later we wouldn't have bothered bringing you back last time." She waited for a reaction from Anakin, when she didn't receive one she continued. "This was not the way the famous General of the Republic was supposed to go out, only you could make your death so unbelievably frustrating.” 

Anakin let out a laugh mixed with a sob. 

She looked up at him. “I’m so sorry Anakin.”

He seemed to melt into his cloak in order to hide. “Aren’t you going to tell me to let go of my emotions?”

“No”

Anakin huffed. “Then you’d be the first one today”

Siri shrugged. “I have learned that if we don’t allow ourselves time to acknowledge our emotions then we are simply bottling them up and allowing them to fester instead of truly letting them go.” She moved closer to him. “Funnily enough it was your Master who helped me realize that.” 

“Obi-Wan said that?”

Siri glanced back at the pyre. “It wasn’t exactly something he said, but it was something I learned because of him.” She looked up at the confused and grief-stricken face of the young Jedi Knight, she placed a hand on his shoulder. “One day when the war is over, and all of this isn’t so raw, you and I will sit down over a bottle of fine Corellian whiskey that I know for a fact Obi-Wan was saving for a special occasion and we'll reminisce.” She smiled a sad smile. “Even with everything you saw, there is still a lot about our friend that even you don’t know.” 

Anakin rubbed tears on the sleeve of his cloak and sadly nodded. Siri could sense the anger coming off the young man. “I failed to protect him; I wasn’t strong enough.” 

Siri thought about her words carefully, she realized that Jedi rhetoric was not what he needed. “I see your Master taught you to carry the weight of something completely on your shoulders instead of realizing that there was nothing that you could’ve done to prevent it.” Anakin quickly looked away and she continued. “He did the same thing when he lost his own Master, and I will say to you what I said to him all those years ago...his death was not your failure, you have enough to deal with right now without adding guilt to the list.”

“Why’d he have to die?” His voice quivered and he sounded so very young in that moment.

Siri again knew she probably should recite something from the Jedi code, but instead she said “I don’t know.”

He sighed. “I just don’t understand how this happened; we’ve fought snipers before…how could he be gone?"

“It doesn’t make sense does it? A sniper shouldn’t have been able to get the upper hand on a Jedi, at least not when the Jedi is focused on him.” Siri echoed his sentiment. 

Anakin’s body tensed “I swear I will find Rako Hardeen and make him pay for what he’s done.” 

Siri looked back up at the unbridled rage in Skywalker’s eyes and it frightened her. “I probably should be the Master here and remind you that revenge is not the Jedi way, but at the end of the day the choice will be yours alone no matter what I recite to you.” She forced him to look at her. “But what I will say is that it would besmirch the memory of Obi-Wan and everything he fought and died for if you kill Rako Hardeen because of your grief and I know you wouldn’t want to do that to him.”

The powerful Jedi finally lost his composure and collapsed into Siri’s arms, sobbing. She in turn did her best to comfort Anakin. “He was so very proud of you Ani…sometimes obnoxiously so.” 

Another sob filled chuckle came from the young Jedi. 

She released him from their hug and held his gaze. “Even drunk he would always say that training you was the most important thing in his life, the greatest moment to him was the day you passed the trials. Your success meant more to him than his own.” Anakin shifted uncomfortably. “Now it’s up to you to honor his memory, be the Jedi…the man he always knew you would be.” 

Anakin nodded. “I’ll try,”

“Remember, do or do not…” She began to recite the old saying.

“There is no try.” He finished the saying with her.

They stood in silence for another moment, allowing themselves to gather their emotions before returning to their duties. It was Anakin’s turn to break the silence. “I just keep expecting him to pop up and tell us that this didn’t really happen, that none of this was real, like it was one of his stupid jokes.” 

It was Siri’s turn to let out a choked-up laugh.

Anakin continued, “…it’s so odd, but I swear I can still sense him.” 

“I know, me too…” Siri’s eyes then widened briefly as a thought crossed her mind. She turned to leave after a moment. “You’re right about one thing Anakin, none of this feels real.”


	3. The Back Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Siri confronts Rako Hardeen (kind of)

Chapter 3:

She looked around the small, darkened room as she stealthily entered, using the Force to mask her presence. After a quick scan she realized she was alone, but by her calculations they wouldn’t be far behind. The smell of sweat and body odor trapped in an unventilated space assaulted her nostrils, the stench reminded her of one of the training rooms in the Temple after a long and arduous session.

Memories came flooding back to her as she sat down on the sleep couch, this had been the very room where she stayed after she “deserted” the Jedi in her first undercover mission. She had spent a sleepless night there, her thoughts a jumble trying to figure out how she would be able to pull off the mission. She had only been twenty-three years old, so young for the Council to entrust she could handle the burden of such an assignment. She often wondered if they had made a mistake, she had almost jeopardized the mission because she had been inexperienced and unable to control her emotions when Obi-Wan and young Anakin Skywalker’s separate mission crossed her path. The Council had been reckless sending her out in the field without the proper training for an assignment of that caliber and now it appeared history might be repeating itself. Siri had worked hard to overcome her tendency towards anger and annoyance at those who cut corners for results. Very little got under her skin these days, but this topic was one of the few exceptions.

She heard the soft footsteps approaching, she could sense a Force presence was about to enter the room. She leaned back on the sleep couch, hiding her face in the shadows as the door opened. A familiar silhouette entered, his hood was drawn to hide his face, but she knew it was him. 

“You son of a Womp rat,” she cursed as he closed the door behind him. 

She saw his hand instinctively move towards the lightsaber that was missing from his belt. He then relaxed once he recognized the voice. 

“Siri, how did you…”

She stood and moved into the dim light that was coming from the neon sign outside the window. She held up a hand to stop him from speaking. “You act as if this is the first time the Council have used these back rooms as a staging area for undercover missions.” She folded her arms across her chest. “You as a group have become a tad predictable.” 

She could sense the confusion and panic rising in him as he looked at her. She relaxed her stance and moved closer towards him. “Don’t worry, no one else knows. Everyone is still mourning your death.” 

He let out a breath he had been holding and looked at her. “So, how was my funeral?” 

Siri shrugged. “It was a tedious and somber affair; you would’ve loved it.” 

“Yoda and Mace didn’t appreciate it when I asked them, they thought I was joking. I suppose that’s bound to happen when you use humor as a defense mechanism.” His face still hidden beneath the lip of his hood, the tremble in his voice told her that he was sorry for deceiving everyone.

“There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.” She softly answered. “It was very convincing.” 

He turned away from her and sighed. “I hated having to use such a ruse to deceive everyone, but for this mission to work a Jedi had to die.” 

“And why exactly did that Jedi have to be you?” 

Obi-Wan shrugged sadly. “This assignment required swift action and the fewer who knew about it the better, the Council decided it best to trust it to one of its own members. And the rest of the Council agreed that given my…” he struggled for the right word.

“Fame,”

He frowned at her choice of word. “Notoriety. News would spread faster of my death to the Separatists than if it had been another Jedi.” He removed his hood to reveal his transformed face. “Which would give me an advantage in my assignment.”

Siri sighed an exasperated sigh. “You’re going undercover as your murderer?” He avoided her gaze and nodded. “Force above Obi-Wan.”

“Believe me if this wasn’t imperative, I wouldn’t be doing this.” He sadly stated.

“I don't believe it, this is Zygerria all over again.” She threw her hands up in exasperation. "Have you learned nothing?" 

He removed his cloak, not looking at her. “As always, I appreciate your vote of confidence my dear friend.” 

Siri hosted herself onto the desk and crossed her legs. “It’s not about having a lack of faith in your abilities Obi-Wan, once again a mission that SHOULD be going to the Shadows is being placed on your shoulders. And this time, I can't even begin to explain how in over your head you are.” 

Obi-Wan chuckled. “You sound like Master Yoda; he was against this from the start.” 

Siri shrugged. “There is a reason he’s the Grand Master.” 

He turned to look at his friend, he looked like he had much he wanted to tell her, but instead stuck to the task at hand. “Master Windu will be here soon, I should prepare.” 

Siri rose to her feet and nodded. She reached out and squeezed his hand as she began to leave, she then felt as he tightened his grip and wouldn’t let her move. She looked at him, and despite his face looking like someone else she found herself looking into familiar blue/grey eyes. 

“Any tips on how to actually pull this off?” He finally broke the silence. “You know from someone who’s been here?”

“Well, for starters if you’re trying to break into a gang or prove yourself to a new employer you have to find a way to earn their trust.” She folded her arms across her chest. “That usually means proving you are the most dangerous person in the room. Empty threats won’t cut it, you will have to back them up.”

“I fear you have an example.”

She chuckled to herself. “Oh, multiple. Never underestimate the use of utensils, they can be a simple yet effective way to make a statement.”

“Utensils?”

“I may have used a dinner knife to pin someone’s hand to a table.” She shrugged.

“Really?” He was shocked.

“In my defense his hand had just been on my ass, I felt it was justified.”

He thought for a moment. “I suppose so,”

“Finding ways to justify what you do will help, even if those justifications are a bit of a stretch.” She softened her voice, realizing he was struggling to understand.

“Well, we all have done things in the line of duty that we aren’t proud of.” He simply stated.

Siri held his gaze. “Not like this. No, Obi-Wan you will have to become Rako Hardeen, and I don’t mean to look like Rako Hardeen or act like Rako Hardeen, but instead you will have to become him and all of what that entails.” 

Obi-Wan nodded “I understand,” 

She shook her head. “No, you have no idea, you wouldn’t be here if you did. There is a reason these missions fall to Jedi with reputations like me or Quinlin Vos.” He tilted his head in confusion as she continued. “Do you remember how much of a stickler for the rules I was when I was younger?”

He thought for a moment, realizing it was becoming more and more difficult to remember Siri as a very disciplined Jedi. “It almost prevented our friendship if I recall.” 

She nodded. “And when did you notice a change in my behavior?”

“Probably right after the Krayn mission.” Realization came to the front of his mind.

“You will witness and partake in things that will go against the very essence of the Jedi Code, you will stand by helpless or in worst case scenarios participate as innocent people are hurt or even killed…the only thing that matters is your assignment and you have to remember the bigger picture and focus on what kind of a difference the intel you gather will make.” She looked at him intently. “No matter the cost.” 

He turned away from her, his thoughts racing. “Right, of course…”

She placed a hand on his back. “You will be tempted by the dark side in ways you never thought possible, and it happens so quickly that sometimes you don’t even realize you’ve crossed that line until you’re already there. You just have to rely on your training to come back to the light. In your darkest moments you will find yourself questioning everything, including the Force itself.” 

Obi-Wan turned to look at his friend, concern etched on his face. “Siri…”

She shook off her emotions and continued. “Then you realize the Force is the only tether you have to your true identity – the only thing that keeps you from truly being lost.”

He placed a hand on his chin in contemplation. “This is going to be more difficult than I anticipated.”

Siri sighed. “You really are doomed.” 

Obi-Wan, startled, looked at her. “I haven’t even started yet.”

She placed her hands on her hips. “And that right there is why you will fail; Your mission started the moment you faked your death; it’s far more than just changing your appearance to look like someone. For example, I spent time with Rako Hardeen during one of my missions and I can assure you he would never stand like that, Obi-Wan Kenobi stands like that.” She mimicked his stance by standing straight and placing a hand up on her chin in contemplation. 

Obi-Wan looked down at his feet and back up at her, she moved closer and began to adjust his stance. 

“Open your legs a bit.” She advised him.

Kenobi cocked an eyebrow. “I’m flattered my dear, but I don’t think there is time.” 

She stood up and looked at him. “Oh, believe me Kenobi I know as well as you do that if reckless fornication was actually on the table it wouldn't be the first time you’d find a way to squeeze it into your busy schedule.” She winked at him and continued to adjust his stance. “Rako Hardeen has an old leg injury, he doesn’t typically show signs of it except when he stands, he has to keep his legs a few inches apart.”

“This wasn’t included in any of my prep materials, I appreciate it.” He replied.

She shook her head. “Any change in behavior or hesitation on your part will likely result in your death.” 

He smiled sadly at her. “Then I supposed it’s a good thing we already had my funeral.” 

The realization hit her like a speeder. “That is why you faked your death, why you kept this hidden from Anakin.” 

Obi-Wan nodded. “If he knew I was in any kind of peril he would rush to my side, it would jeopardize the mission.” 

“Gee, wonder where he gets that from.” She stated quietly. 

Obi-Wan gave her a look showing he was not amused.

Siri stood, her face stern. “You know he wants to hunt down Rako Hardeen.”

“I’m actually counting on it; his anger will sell the illusion to Count Dooku.” Obi-Wan admitted.

“He had to carry your body to the temple.” She couldn’t hide the concern in her voice. "Were you aware of that?”

He shook his head. "No, I had taken vital suppressors. I had no idea what was happening...I never meant for him to...gods, Anakin." 

"Yikes, vital suppressors are no joke. At least, so I've been told." Her voice was soft. "Are you okay?"

He shrugged. "Had to be done, there was no other option."

“And what will happen should you survive this ordeal? How do you suspect Anakin will react to the Council’s deception?” She folded her arms across her chest. “You told me that he’s already at odds with the Council.”

“My deception,” he corrected “the Council wanted to include him in the plans.” Obi-Wan stated, regret evident in his voice. “But in my heart, I know the only way to convince our enemies that I had died I needed to convince those closest to me of the same fact.” He closed his eyes. “I know I will have much to repair should the mission actually succeed..”

She moved closer to him. “That is something they neglect to train you for during these undercover missions…” he turned to look at her. “How to go back to your life once the job is finished. How to live with all you witnessed, all you did, and how to mend bridges you burned in the midst of your deceit.” She had a faraway look on her face as she spoke, Obi-Wan could tell she was reliving painful memories. 

“Siri,”

“It can become a very lonely life; you find yourself hoping for the next assignment, just so you don’t have time to dwell on it. Most other Jedi don’t even know how to talk to you anymore and more often than not when people see you walking down the halls, they head in the opposite direction. And that's if you're lucky, because then there are the others who never fully trust you ever again.” Her eyes then turned back to his. “And I never had to try to come back from the dead, so good luck with that.” 

A moment of silence passed between them. 

She placed a hand on his cheek, stroking it with her thumb. “Gods, you really look terrible.” 

He chuckled and kissed the palm of her hand tenderly, moving it back down to her side. “I really should prepare for my mission.” 

“Of course,” She brushed past him, stopping at the door. “I’m sure no matter where I am that I’ll hear word of General Kenobi’s miraculous resurrection but drop a girl a com message and let her know you’re okay when all of this is over.” 

“You have my word.”

Siri raised the hood of her Jedi cloak and looked at him. “One last thing, whatever code name you choose when you give mission updates don’t overthink it, generic one syllable names are best. They are easier to remember during times of stress and don’t raise too many suspicions.” 

He nodded. “Duly noted. Tell me, what’s yours?”

“Rey” 

“Thank you for the tip Rey.” He smiled. 

Siri grimaced. “Ugh…don’t smile, Hardeen looks like a creep when he smiles.” She turned to leave, calling back over her shoulder. “Oh, by the way, enjoy the vocal emulator.”  
***

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the feedback and kudos! 
> 
> I always felt like Obi-Wan was an odd choice for an undercover mission of this caliber so basically Siri voiced my feelings on it in this chapter.
> 
> And yes, I admit using the name Rey is a little cheesy, but I thought it added weight if that is just a common/generic name in this galaxy (since Rey in the sequels was supposed to be hiding as a nobody).


	4. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> / / = flash back

One Week Later:

The night was chilly, and the air was crisp. Despite the amount of light illuminating from the city stars could be seen in the sky. On a tall ledge of the Jedi temple just below the entrance of the hanger a barefoot Siri Tachi sat with her legs dangling over the edge.

Her face was illuminated by a data pad, as she scrolled through the information on the screen for the countless time, making sure she had memorized the text. Her next mission would send her undercover to investigate the disappearance of the Zabrak known as Savage Oppress who had slaughtered two Jedi and who's whereabouts was currently MIA. 

She stopped scrolling as the details on her data pad turned to information on the possible Sith assassin. The Council instructed her to learn as much information as possible to discover if this was indeed another Sith Lord or just a replacement for Ventress.

Looking over what limited information they had on the Zabrak from Dathomir her thoughts drifted to thinking about the Sith who had cut down Qui-Gon Jinn over a decade ago, and then they shifted to Obi-Wan, it had been over a week since his “funeral” and much of the temple was still mourning his loss. Younglings especially were having a difficult time with his passing; Siri had no idea how much of an impact his heroics and kindhearted nature had on the younger generation of Jedi. Without really trying he had become the Master initiates all aspired to be, it was a far cry from his uncertain beginnings, she wondered how many of them knew how close he had been to not being trained, and even if any of them knew he had left the order temporarily. Her thoughts suddenly shifted to an old friend (no, definitely not a friend) Bruck Chun who had been a childhood rival - no, let’s call it like it was, bully of Obi-Wan’s. She, not for the first time wondered if Bruck would’ve stayed with the Jedi Order had he not fallen in with Xanatos (and had he lived), wondered what kind of a Knight he would’ve ended up being, probably would’ve been more like Master Krell who was renowned for his “no nonsense” ways which was really code for being a bit of an ass-hole. She chuckled to herself realizing that had Bruck stayed he would’ve eventually had to take orders from High Council Member “Ofy-Wan”, she realized she would’ve paid good credits to see that. 

As her mind drifted back to the present and the generation of Jedi who now held her friend in such high regard she wondered how tarnished his reputation would be in their eyes should he survive this mission. 

Siri sighed and pulled out a cigarra from her tunic, she lit it and inhaled. She couldn’t stop her feet from twitching anxiously as she thought about Obi-Wan’s difficult task to return to temple life. Much like any group of people who spend way too much time together the Jedi Temple had a rather vicious rumor-mill, it was almost like holding sentient beings to a very strict code of ethics left little wiggle room and therefore very little understanding or sympathy for grey areas. She just hoped that the fact he was a member of the Council would help people understand.  
Though, that didn’t seem to help when Anakin found out. 

/An incessant door chime brought Siri out of the dream she had been currently enjoying. She grumbled and rolled over onto her back, reaching for the chrono on her nightstand. She grumbled again as she looked at the hour and then rose to her feet. She used the Force to call a colorful silk robe from the back of her bedroom door and put it over her thin sleeping clothes. 

“Hang on, I’m coming,” She called to the door as she tied the robe around herself and entered the common room. 

As she opened the door a very distraught Anakin Skywalker brushed past her. 

“Anakin, won’t you come in at half past 3rd hour?” She exclaimed sarcastically and folded her arms across her chest as she watched him pace the floor in front of her couch. 

“He’s alive, I kriffing don’t know how, but he’s alive.” The younger Jedi was muttering angrily under his breath. 

It was then that Siri noticed the bruise near his eye and his cracked bottom lip. She went to her kitchenette and pulled a towel off the counter and proceeded to wrap cubes of ice in the center of it. She then returned to the room that was occupied by a very distressed Jedi.

“Anakin, sit down.” She commanded and much to her surprise he did. She then handed him the towel full of ice and sat down next to him. “Okay, tell me what happened.” 

Anakin put the ice over his swollen lip and shook his head. “Obi-Wan, he’s...he’s alive.” He looked over at Siri, his eyes wide. “I think he’s pretending to be Rako Hardeen.”

Siri avoided his gaze. “Oh, that.”

“What do you mean, ‘oh, that’?” He asked, anger creeping up in his voice. “He told you?!”

“No, but I figured it out.” She softly stated. 

He lowered the towel, his face twisted in disbelief. “When?”

“The night of his funeral.” 

“Why didn’t you say anything?” His eyes searched hers. 

Siri rose to her feet and walked back to the kitchen, she pulled out a bottle containing a dark brown liquid as well as two glasses. She brought them back and proceeded to fill the glasses, motioning one to Anakin. 

“It was not my place, not my mission.” She said evenly, taking a swift drink. 

Anakin eyed her and then the glass, he quickly downed the liquor in one gulp. “He didn't want me to know because he doesn’t trust me.” 

“That’s not it and you know it. Don't let your personal feelings get in the way.” She refilled the two glasses. 

“So the Council made him lie to me.” He bitterly stated, taking another shot. 

Siri sighed, placing her own glass to her lips and tasting the burning liquid as it traveled down her throat. “You will need to talk to him about his reasons for keeping you in the dark. But, just know that while possibly misguided they were necessary for the success of his mission.” 

Anakin held out his glass for more liquor, Siri hesitated but obliged. He took the shot quickly, then slammed his glass on the coffee table. “Yeah, sure.” 

Siri placed the cork back into the bottle, signaling she was not giving him any more of the drink. “Anakin, search your feelings...you know he wouldn’t hurt you if it hadn’t been required of him.” 

Anakin sighed and leaned back against the couch, moving the towel back to his swollen lip. “I fear he’s in over his head.” 

Siri scoffed. “That’s a bit of an understatement.” 

“Do you know what his mission is?” He asked, turning his head towards her. 

She shook her head. “I didn’t ask. In this line of business you learn pretty quickly that the fewer people who know the details of a particular mission the better.” 

“I just...I thought we were past this, him deciding I can’t handle things, him not trusting me.” Anakin suddenly threw the ice across the room. 

Siri kept her tone even as she spoke. “First off, you will go pick the ice up before it melts all over my floor.” 

Anakin begrudgingly obeyed and went to gather the pieces of frozen water he had discarded. 

“Secondly, Obi-Wan has never been one to give his trust very easily and he trusts you above all others. If he felt that this needed to remain a secret then he had to have known there was no alternative.” She held his gaze. “When was the last time you knew Obi-Wan to make a decision lightly?” 

“Never.” 

She watched as he took the ice and dumped it into the sink in her kitchen. When he returned she saw tears threatening to fall from his eyes. 

“I know he never meant to hurt you Anakin.” She softly stated. 

He quickly rubbed his eyes with his sleeves. “Yeah, well he did.”

“I know,” 

“I couldn’t find a pulse Siri, I had to carry him...how, how could he do that to me? To Ahsoka, he died in her arms!?” Anakin was on the verge of a breakdown. 

Siri quickly rose to her feet and placed both hands on his shoulders, forcing him to look at her. “When all of this is over the two of you will need to sit down and have a very LONG talk.” She squeezed his shoulder. “But for right now, for his safety we both have to trust him. And believe me when I say that you will long forgive him for this deception before he forgives himself.” 

Anakin sadly nodded. “I just hope he’s okay.”

“I know, me too.” / 

Siri’s mind returned to the present, she took another hit of her cigarra. 

‘Blast, something’s wrong, it’s been too long since he’s checked in.’ She thought to herself as she let out a cloud of smoke into the air. 

She had grown accustomed to the habit of smoking to settle her nerves while on one of her own undercover missions. While not forbidden by the Jedi, it was definitely taboo within the Jedi to smoke because of the health concerns associated with it. Siri had long ago earned the reputation within the order that she marched to the beat of her own drum, but, not wanting to cause a bigger stir when she smoked it was only at this spot in secret, knowing the exhaust fumes from the hanger would mask the smell of the T’bac. Obi-Wan had tried to get her to quit, and was successful for a while, but after Kadavo she found herself taking up the habit again. 

‘Damn it Kenobi,’ the unmistakable sense of dread felt like a ball of lead in her stomach. Even the cigarra was failing to help her calm down. 

She snubbed out what was left of the cigarra and decided it was best to try and rest since her own mission was set to begin at sunrise. 

Siri returned to her quarters, she tossed down the data pad as well as her cloak on the couch. She moved into her room and undressed, leaving her tunic hanging over a chair in the corner of her bedroom instead of hanging it up in the closet. She returned to the common room wearing a black undershirt and a pair of thin sleep pants. She proceeded to light incense in hopes the sweet smell of spices would center her thoughts. She was ready to lay down to attempt some resemblance of sleep when she noticed a light flashing on her commlink. She looked at it quizzically and her heart began to race. She took a deep breath and pressed the button and a holographic image of Rako Hardeen appeared in the message. 

“Rey, this is Ben…” She smirked knowing he had taken her advice. “I wanted to let you know that despite a few… hiccups the mission was a success.” The deep voice of Rako Hardeen stated, but in the cadence of her old friend. “You were right about everything though, I really had no idea what I was going to have to do in order for this mission to succeed…and now I don’t even know how to go back, how to mend all those bridges and live with what I’ve done.” 

Her heart went out to him in that moment, knowing all too well the journey ahead of him would not be an easy one. 

“I have a newfound respect for you and the others who do this on a regular basis, the fact that you can come back from it all means you are stronger than I am. Be safe out there my dearest friend wherever you are, and if you need it I will be the other tether you can cling to in order to remember your true identity…to help you from feeling lost.” He continued.

As the message wrapped up she found herself attempting not to cry, realizing how relieved she was to know he was okay. She was about to put the com away when his voice spoke again.  
“I will admit only to you that I am a little afraid of how we actually get the vocal emulator out” 

Siri couldn’t help but laugh as she turned off the com. “Yeah, it’s not pleasant.” She spoke out loud even though she was the only one in the room. “Welcome back Kenobi.” 

The End.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed it! As always thanks for the kudos/comments.
> 
> Sorry this was shorter than normal, I originally didn't plan on writing anything beyond the last chapter for this story, but felt it needed a little bit of a wrap up.
> 
> Please let me know if there is a particular Clone Wars episode/story arch you think Siri Tachi should be a part of!


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